Translated, the title of Ladysmith Black Mambazo's tribute to the iconic African leader Shaka Zulu means "the greatest warrior," but there's an undeniably peaceful vibe to these dozen songs.

Yes, there's a language barrier, too. Fortunately, the gentle beauty of songs such as "Kuyafundw' Osizini (Ilembe)" and "Vela Nsizwa" transcend the vowel- and consonant-twisting appearance of the titles to Western eyes. Liner notes also include helpful explanations of the messages in the lyrics, such as this aside to "Kuyafundw' Osizini":

When someone ill treats you, don't worry, that person is enlightening you and training you, teaching you more about life.

Musically, the lilting melodies of that tune, and the others, convey the spiritual feeling without the necessity of words. Singer Joseph Shabalala and his ensemble haven't evolved much since the group's initial mainstream introduction on Paul Simon's Graceland more than 20 years ago.

That means that the Ilembe songs are flavored by an ancient style that is rarely embellished by a beat that might transform the material from hymns into something more infectious. Songs such as "Umon' Usuk' Esweni" and "Sizobalanda" benefit from the subtle nudges of guttural vocal punctuation. "Let's Do It," one of three songs with English titles, uses the voices to create a shuffling effect similar to brushes against a snare drum. Even the songs with the English titles -- "Let's Do It," "This is the Way We Do" and "Prince of Peace" -- often use a combination of English and Swahili.

When the singers utter the clipped words "pray, pray, pray" in the chant-like "Prince of Peace," those words sound like something in another language. Later, in the same song, when the voices rise into something that almost sounds like the fleeting whiffs of Southern gospel, it's a lovely earthy touch.

A few more of those recognizable references would make Ilembe more accessible to Western ears, but Mambazo's commitment to its spiritual ideals is palpable and powerful.

"Do unto others as you would like to be done unto you," the liner notes state at one point. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is still the sonic embodiment of that sentiment.

So even if the music threatens to cross the boundary from hypnotic to merely repetitive in some moments, the songs more often unfold with a meditative style that's captivating, even if you can't dance to it.

- by Jim Abbott